PERFORMERS: BOB HOPE

It was a unique situation in Hollywood history. Two established stars teaming up to create a successful (if occasional) double act that endured for four decades.

When Paramount signed a couple of its major stars to play the leads in a film called Road To Singapore in 1940 it ended up with a result that was greater than the sum of its main ingredients. The picture was originally to have starred Fred MacMurray and Jack Oakie (or possibly George Burns and Gracie Allen, depending on which strain of movieland folk­lore you prefer) but the casting of Bing Crosby and Bob Hope in the roles resulted in one of the most inspired pieces of screen teamwork yet seen.

At the time, both were hugely successful on radio, a me­dium which had fostered many celebrated “feuds”. Winchell versus Bernie, Fields versus McCarthy and (most notably) Benny versus Allen – all were crowdpleasers across Ameri­can airwaves and occasionally the stunt was transferred to film. But Hope and Crosby were not rivals until Road To Singa­pore came along.

As a picture, it was a fairly standard bit of hokum having much in common with the dozens of other vehicles featuring the Paramount roster of star names in the late 1930s. Somewhat on a par with the various editions of The Big Broadcast, with a few Crosby vocals thrown in to entice his legion of fans to fill out the audience. But it was the banter, jibes and undeniable chem­istry between the leads that allowed the film to rise above the mediocre.

The pair had met back in 1932 when Hope was appearing at New York’s Capitol Theatre, and emerging Hollywood star Crosby joined him on stage as part of a movie promotion. They worked up a bit of repartee for the performance and in the process became firm friends for almost half a century.

It took another handful of years for Hope to get his break on the west coast, and despite both being contracted to the same studio the only time they appeared together in front of the camera was in an obscure 1938 golfing short Don’t Hook Now. Then, in July 1938, Bing invited Bob to be a guest on his successful Kraft Music Hallradio show.

With the Road movie, the insults and character assassina­tion got off to a flying start. Hope’s screen persona of a cowardly woman-chaser meshed well with the more staid Crosby as they avoided all manner of responsibility and headed for the nearest tropical isle and the charms of its resident damsel.

In the case of Road To Singapore this happened to be Dorothy Lamour (also a regular on the Paramount payroll) and with the success of the picture she became a familiar face in all six of the sequels, as well as a number of radio and television appearances over the years with the duo.

Within a year of their pairing, Crosby, Hope and Lamour safaried through the studio’s backlot along the Road To Zan­zibar and soon after to the Road To Morocco. Familiarity sometimes breeds good box-office and the public flocked to see each new chapter of the Bing, Bob and Dotty show.

Audiences loved the regular “pattycake pattycake” rou­tines, the quips direct to the camera and the in-jokes with other actors strolling across the set to interrupt the action. With either lead likely to ad-lib an insult or two mid-scene (much to the bewilderment of the director and technicians), the films at times had a surreal atmosphere to them.

With America entering the Second World War, both Hope and Crosby made countless broadcasts together on their regu­lar weekly programmes, as well as a number of gratis performances for the newly-set-up Armed Forces Radio Serv­ice. They also appeared in wartime shorts and the occasional all-star feature, and Bing began making walk-ons in some of his partner’s solo vehicles.

The public (in and out of uniform) were soon receiving a regular diet of jokes about a balding groaner with four sons and wardrobe full of Hawaiian shirts and a ham with a ski-nose and an insatiable craving to be recognized as a great actor. Whilst entertaining overseas, they were even filmed dancing an eccentric version of “mairzy dotes” to a rapturous audi­ence of servicemen. Anything for the war effort.

By 1945 Paramount had the team back in front of the cam­eras for Road To Utopia which (for a change) traded the jungle heat for Alaskan snowfields, and had a novelty intro­duction by humorist Robert Benchley. Two years later, the trio were South American bound in Road To Rio

By the end of the 1940s, the entertainment world was in the throes of a major turnaround. Peacetime technologies had concentrated on the development of television, and radio was starting to lose advertising dollars to the increasingly popular medium.

Hope tackled the challenger head on, and made his net­work debut in a 90-minute special on April 9 1950. It was to be the start of the second phase of his career and see a longev­ity unparalleled by any other major performer. Crosby, on the other hand, decided to resist the lure of the small screen and put off his tv debut for several years.

Back on radio, the pair signed sponsorship agreements with Chesterfield Cigarettes (who were eager to capitalize on the ongoing rivalry). As a result, the next two seasons (1950/1 and 1951/2) saw them together for a mammoth seventeen broad­casts as they exchanged guestshots on each other’s programmes.

Paramount reunited them with Dorothy Lamour for the first colour Road picture Road To Bali in 1952 (which fea­tured an unannounced walk-on by the studio’s other major comedy team, Martin and Lewis).

By the middle of the decade big-time radio had ended and could no longer afford the talents of two of its greatest stars. Hope now concentrated on his monthly television specials, while Crosby was happy to see his career slow down to the occasional movie, all but avoiding the new “monster” in much the same way as the major silent stars reacted to the talkies.

They reunited for some live appearances and several of Hope’s N.B.C. specials, but it was not until 1961 that they returned to the big screen for one final hurrah. And instead of Paramount in Hollywood, they signed a deal with United Art­ists to make The Road To Hong Kong in England.

Unlike the previous six teamings, Joan Collins was chosen as the female lead with Dorothy Lamour making a token guest-appearance for old times sake (and to offer assistance, and a few in-jokes during the climactic chase sequence). Cameos by David Niven, Peter Sellers, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra and Zsa Zsa Gabor helped liven up the proceedings in what turned out to be quite an enjoyable end of the road.

The rest of the 1960s saw Bing in an ill-fated television sitcom and regular hosting roles on The Hollywood Palace, plus the occasional team-up with Bob on the latter’s specials. April 1976 saw them together for the last time, although Hope had been trying for some time to broker a deal to film The Road To The Fountain Of Youth, which would see the pair as a couple of elderly hustlers.

But it was not to be. In October 1977, Bing Crosby col­lapsed and died on a golf course in Spain and one of Hollywood’s greatest double acts was no more. Within days, his sparring partner hosted a 2 hour television tribute to his friend (and later even considered reviving the movie idea with David Niven and then George Burns) before conceding that the show was over.

Broadway

Sidewalks of New York (1927)Ups-A-Daisy (1928)Smiles (1930)Ballyhoo of 1932 (1932)Roberta (1933)Say When (1934)The Ziegfeld Follies of 1936 (1936)Red, Hot and Blue (1936)

My Favorite Story (20th Century Fox LP, 1963)includes a story by Bob Hope

Hope in Russia and One Other Place (Decca LP, 1963)recorded at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow in 1959
and the University of Notre Dame in 1962

Face to Face (Decca 2LP)Bob Hope is interviewed by Pete Martin

Bob Hope on the Road to Vietnam (Cadet LP, 1965)recorded in south east Asia, December 18 to 27, 1964

I’ll Take Sweden (United Artists LP)includes Bob Hope vocal:Nothing Can Compare with You

Holidays (Spear LP, 1973)(reissued on Spear CD as Thanks For The Holidaysand as Collectables CDThanks For The Memories – A Special Holiday Edition)New YearsValentines DayWashington’s BirthdaySt. Patricks Day
EasterFathers DayIndependence DayHalloweenThanksgiving DayChristmas Day

The Best of Bob Hope (Capitol compilation CD, 2003)Buttons and BowsTeamworkMy Favorite BrunetteThe Last Time I Saw ParisWing-Ding TonightLucky UsThe Flip SideNothing in CommonBeside YouThat’s Not the KnotAm I in Love?April in Paris* Ain’t We Got Fun?The Road to Hong KongNothing Can Compare with YouThanks for the Memory (from radio)(* previously unreleased Capitol track)

Bob Hope and his Friends (King of Comedy 3LP)a selection of extracts from Bob’s radio and television shows

Bing Crosby WWII Radio Broadcasts (LaserLight CD, 1994)includes Bing’s Kraft Music Hall broadcasts of April 13 and June 15 1944

Put It There, Pal (Jasmine 2CD, 1999)HarmonyRoad to Morocco (2 versions)Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaApalachicola, FlaFor What?If I Knew You Were Comin’ I’d Have Baked a CakeThe Lady’s in Love with YouGoodtime CharlieHave I Told You Lately that I Love You?Put It There, Pal (2 versions)Buttons and BowsBeside YouMy Favorite BurunetteCaptain CustardHarry Lime ThemeHome on the RangeSonny BoySmile, Darn Ya, Smile + Daddy, Dear Old DaddyIt Happened in MontereyMoonlight Becomes YouI Wish I WuzJune in January + It’s Been a Long, Long Time + Coming Through the Rye + Put on your Old Grey BonnetLove SomebodyGoodnight, IreneSweet VioletsHow’d Ya Like to Love Me?It’s Love, Love, LoveHello MomTwo Sleepy PeopleThanks for the Memory

On the Road to Laughter (H.L.C. CD, 1999)includes Bing’s Chesterfield Show broadcasts of October 18 1950 and January 10 1951plus a Minnesota Tourism recording

On the Road to Laughter – Volume 2 (H.L.C. CD, 2000)includes Screen Guild Theater: Too Many Husbands of September 10 1942 (AFRS version)and Bing Crosby’s Philco Radio Time of October 16 1946plus a medley from Bing’s TV special of May 14 1962

The Bob Hope Show (Radio Spirits CD, 2002)includes the Bob Hope Pepsodent Show broadcasts of October 23 and December 18 1945

Legends of Radio: The Bob Hope Show (Radio Spirits 20CD set, 2002)includes 40 Bob Hope Show broadcasts:December 20 1938 and March 7 1939January 28 1941 and April 15 1941June 3 1941 and October 13 1942January 5 1943 and February 9 1943September 28 1943 and December 28 1943January 4 1944 and February 8 1944February 29 1944 and January 30 1945March 20 1945 and November 27 1945December 4 1945 and November 12 1946December 24 1946 and April 1 1947April 8 1947 and February 17 1948November 9 1948 and December 21 1948March 29 1949 and February 7 1950March 6 1951 and October 2 1951November 20 1951 and March 25 1952April 1 1952 and April 29 1952June 10 1952 and January 21 1953January 28 1953 and February 4 1953March 25 1953 and November 13 1953December 25 1953 and May 14 1954

Bob Hope(E.M.I. CD, 2002)Editor-In-ChiefMake-Believe Washroom on Station SlobBob Ain’t Clark GableBob in TexasBob Breaks his LegChristmasTex HopeRogue SantaThe Early Life of Bob Hope or Nature Strikes BackAcademy AwardsKissing the Favorite BrunettesTaking Over the Jack Benny Show

Legends of Radio: The Bob Hope Show (Radio Spirits 10CD set, 2003)includes 20 Bob Hope Show broadcasts:September 27 1938 and October 4 1938April 11 1939 and March 11 1941April 1 1941 and November 9 1943January 2 1945 and February 27 1945May 29 1945 and March 5 1946September 24 1946 and May 13 1947April 6 1948 and April 13 1948May 3 1949 and December 20 1949June 6 1950 and January 30 1951March 18 1953 and April 21 1955

On the Road Again – Bob Hope and Bing Crosby (Radio Spirits 6CD set, 2004)includes 10 broadcasts:The Lux Radio Theatre: Road to Morocco of April 5 1943The Screen Guild Theatre: Altar Bound of February 23 1941The Screen Guild Players: Holiday Inn of January 11 1943The Bob Hope Pepsodent Show of September 21 1943Command Performance of September 6 1945Command Performance of February 15 1945Bing’s Philco Radio Time of October 16 1946The Bob Hope Chesterfield Show of October 10 1950The Bing Crosby Chesterfield Show of December 26 1951The Jack Benny Lucky Strike Program of January 11 1953

Bing Crosby & Bob Hope (E.M.I. CD, 2006)The Road to Hollywood – Road to MoroccoBob’s Travels – It’s Love, Love, LoveChristmas after the WarHave I Told You Lately That I Love You?Crosby in Hospital – If I Knew You Were Coming I’d Have Baked a CakeBeing Nice for the Sponsor – Third Man songMilitary Police – I Wish I Wuz

Star Spangled Rhythm (Sandy Hook CD)includes soundtrack extracts

The Time, Place & Girl/Paleface + Son of Paleface (Titania LP)includes soundtrack extracts from Paleface and Son of Paleface

Books

THEY GOT ME COVERED
by Bob Hope (paperback with no publishing credit, 1941)

I NEVER LEFT HOME
by Bob Hope (Simon and Schuster, 1944)

SO THIS IS PEACE
by Bob Hope (Simon and Schuster, 1946)

HAVE TUX, WILL TRAVEL (also issued as THIS IS ON ME)by Bob Hope, with Pete Martin (Simon and Schuster, 1954)

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